Archer sucked in a lungful of air and let it out in a whoosh. It was hard to relax with Mateo and half the troupe milling around watching. He tried to think about the moment when he got this job and let that smile come out.

“Gorgeous,” the photographer said to him. “Just beautiful. Give me another smile. Great. Now how about a serious face … Ooh, sexy. Perfect. Do you want some with your shirt off?”

“Um, sure?” The rest of the men had done it, so he figured he should. He whisked off his floaty shirt and tossed it onto a chair, then turned back to the camera. Archer swore he caught Mateo’s gaze lingering before he whipped it away.

After the individual photos were taken, Mateo began sorting them into small groups. “We need a few shots for each show. How about Dominik and Daniella in their Grease costumes for Broadway, Nijah and Iris into belly dancing, and Caleb into capoeira for Around the World…” He continued giving instructions until only he and Archer remained. “And we can do Latin,” he finished.

Archer gulped. Guess he wouldn’t have to imagine how they’d look clinched together—he was about to find out. Archer slid into his Latin costume, then watched as the others took their turns posing.

“I want these really dynamic,” the photographer said when Mateo and Archer were up. “Can you give me a few steps?”

Mateo took hold of Archer. “Let’s do the eight-count from the first lunge?”

“Sounds good,” Archer gasped, breathing him in and trying to keep his pulse from racing.

“Gorgeous,” the photographer mumbled, pulling back to study her screen for a second. “Do that again. God, you two can smolder, can’t you?”

Their eyes met.

Yup.

By the time the costume racks were sorted away and the photographer was packing up, Stewart was sipping tea in the front row with Judy in his lap, having lost his momentum for inspiring speeches.

“Alright,” Mateo said. “Time for Broadway.” He and the others helped Archer, Ben, Beau, and Betty break down the choreo, and, God, Archer loved it. They were doing a collection of songs from so many of his favorites—Grease, Newsies, Hairspray, and Beauty and the Beast.

Watching Mateo dance to the Grease song was so exhilarating he was nearly dizzy. Archer would be one of the greasers during “Summer Nights” and watching Mateo as Danny … He was transported back to the theater when he was fourteen, falling in love with him. Not that he was in love with him now, of course. Just, professionally … admiring him.

The day ran long and they were cooling down on the stage, in danger of missing dinner entirely, when Stewart shuffled over to speak to them.